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ArQule to Present at the 30th Annual Piper Jaffray Healthcare Conference on November 28, 2018

On November 14, 2018 ArQule, Inc. (Nasdaq: ARQL) reported that Paolo Pucci, Chief Executive Officer, and Marc Schegerin, Senior Vice President, Head of Strategy, Finance, and Communication will present at the 30th Annual Piper Jaffray Healthcare Conference on November 28, 2018, at 1:50pm ET at the Lotte New York Palace in New York City (Press release, ArQule, NOV 14, 2018, View Source [SID1234531291]).

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The live webcast of the presentation will be available via the "Investors & Media" section of ArQule’s website, www.arqule.com, under "Events & Presentations." A replay of the webcast will be available shortly after the conclusion of the presentation.

Research results for FF-10850, a novel liposome drug candidate for improvement of pharmacological efficacy through selective delivery of anti-cancer agent to tumors

On November 13 2018 FUJIFILM Corporation (President: Kenji Sukeno) reported that it has succeeded in stably encapsulating the anti-cancer agent topotecan*, approved for the treatment of several solid cancers, in newly invented liposome (Press release, Fujifilm, NOV 13, 2018, View Source [SID1234538525]). When preclinical studies in mice were conducted using a drug where topotecan was encapsulated in liposomes (development number: FF-10850), in addition to confirming high tumor shrinking effects, improved pharmacological efficacy was demonstrated when administered in combination with an immune checkpoint inhibitor**, with prolonged survival compared to monotherapy. Going forward, based on the results of these nonclinical studies, the company will prepare for the early initiation of clinical studies of the drug candidate.

Fujifilm conducts research and development on the potential use of encapsulating drugs in liposomes, artificially constructed vesicles made from organic phospholipids that make up cellular membranes, by harnessing its advanced nano-dispersion technology, analysis technology, and process technology cultivated through its wide range of product development. In another study the liposome drug candidate FF-10832, which encapsulates the anti-cancer agent gemcitabine*** , has been observed to protect gemcitabine from elimination and demonstrate an enhanced permeability and retention (EPR) effect*4 by which the FF-10850 accumulates within tumor and releases gemcitabine. A Phase I clinical trial of FF-10832 is underway in the U.S.
Topotecan has an extremely short half-life*5 in the blood, and also has the issue of causing serious bone marrow suppression*6 as a side effect in more than 80% of patients. A liposome drug where topotecan is encapsulated can be considered as a way to resolve these issues; however, topotecan has a tendency to pass through the liposome membrane, resulting in a problem where topotecan would leak into the blood before reaching the tumor. By enhancing the strength of the liposome membrane with the addition of new materials to the liposome ingredients, Fujifilm has succeeded in stably encupsulating topotecan. Fujifilm is conducting research on the drug as a candidate anti-cancer agent (development number: FF-10850), and has obtained the following results in studies in mice.

[Research Result 1] High tumor shrinking effects confirmed with monotherapy

1) Experiment:
Mice with transplanted human-derived ovarian cancer cells (ES-2) were administered with topotecan and FF-10850, respectively, and the efficacy and tolerability were confirmed for each dosage. The period of administration was five consecutive days for topotecan and two cycles of one administration per week for FF-10850.
2) Results:
With topotecan, efficacy was observed with 30 mg/m2 (6 mg/m2 x five times), while with FF-10850, efficacy was confirmed with 3 mg/m2 (1.5 mg/m2 x twice). When the two drugs were compared, FF-10850 demonstrated efficacy that was greater than or equal to topotecan with 1/10 of the total dose of topotecan.
With FF-10850, tumor shrinking effects were seen with 8 mg/m2 (4 mg/m2 x twice). Furthermore, the relative body weight change which is an indicator of tolerability, was less than that of topotecan.
[Chart] Tumor volume and relative body weight change upon administration of FF-10850 and topotecan
Based on the above, FF-10850 is expected to have high pharmacological efficacy that exceeds that of topotecan while maintaining tolerability even when dosage is increased.

[Research Result 2] Improved pharmacological efficacy observed when administered in combination with an immune checkpoint inhibitor

1) Experiment:
Monotherapies and combination therapy with an immune checkpoint inhibitor** and FF-10850 was conducted on mice transplanted with mouse-derived colorectal cancer cells (CT26), and efficacy and tolerability were confirmed. The period of administration was three cycles of two administrations per week for the immune checkpoint inhibitor (30 mg/m2) and three cycles of one administration per week for FF-10850 (6 mg/m2).
2) Results:
When administered as a monotherapy, the median value for mouse survival time was 19 days for the immune checkpoint inhibitor and 27.5 days for FF-10850. Meanwhile, when administered as a combination therapy, the median value for mouse survival time exceeded 40 days, demonstrating a statistically significant difference when compared with the monotherapies. Mouse survival rates for the combination therapy were 75% at 40 days after administration, which was higher than the monotherapies.
Even when administered as a combination therapy, noticeable side effects such as weight loss were not observed, and there were no issues with tolerability.
[Chart] Survival rates and median survival time when administered in combination with an immune checkpoint inhibitor
Based on the above, FF-10850 is expected to further suppress tumor proliferation through administration with an immune checkpoint inhibitor and prolong survival time.

Fujifilm will present its research results on FF-10850 at the "30th EORTC-NCI-AACR (Free EORTC-NCI-AACR Whitepaper) SYMPOSIUM", one of the world’s most prominent cancer related conferences, to be held in Dublin, Ireland from November 13th to 16th, 2018.

Fujifilm is harnessing its advanced technologies such as the nano-dispersion technology and ability to synthesize and design compounds to undertake the development of new drugs in the key areas of cancer, central nervous system diseases, and infectious diseases. The company is also focusing on developing drug delivery system (DDS) technologies including liposome drugs, undertaking research and development to apply DDS technologies not only to low-molecular-weight drugs but also to next-generation drugs such as nucleic acid drugs and gene therapy drugs. Going forward, the company will contribute to the resolution of social issues by developing and delivering innovative, high value-added pharmaceutical products.

* An anti-cancer agent (generic name: topotecan, product name: Hycamtin) developed by GlaxoSmithKline plc. Currently, the drug is distributed by Novartis. It is used as a treatment for ovarian cancer, small-cell lung cancer, and cervical cancer.
** The general term for drugs that have an effect by enabling activated immune cells to attack cancer cells by inhibiting the mechanism (immune checkpoints) that weakens the action of immune cells. Widely used in the treatment of malignant melanomas, lung cancer, stomach cancer, and kidney cancer. The immune checkpoint inhibitor used in the combination therapy with FF-10850 was an anti-PD-1 antibody.
*** An anti-cancer drug (generic name: gemcitabine, product name: Gemzar) developed by the U.S. company Eli Lilly and Company. It is used as a drug of first choice for the treatment of pancreatic cancer, and is also indicated for the treatment of a wide range of other cancers (such as lung cancer and ovarian cancer).
*4 As they grow, tumors generate surrounding blood vessels, but these newly generated blood vessels are not fully developed and have large gaps that are much smaller in normal blood vessels. When liposomes and polymers are retained within the blood, they do not permeate the walls of normal blood vessels, which have small gaps, permeating only the vascular walls around the tumor. In addition, as lymphatic vessels are not fully developed in tumors, the liposomes and polymers that have permeated are not easily eliminated, resulting in the accumulation of these liposomes and polymers in the tumor. This is called the EPR (enhanced permeability and retention) effect.
*5 The time required for the concentration of a drug in the blood to be reduced to half.
*6 The state where production of white blood cells, platelets, and red blood cells in the bone marrow is reduced, leading to increased risk of infection and bleeding and symptoms such as anemia.

TG Therapeutics Announces Phase I Study of Novel BTK inhibitor, TG-1701, in Patients with Relapsed or Refractory B-cell Malignancies is Open for Enrollment

On November 13, 2018 TG Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ: TGTX) reported the first Company sponsored Phase I study of its novel, orally available and covalently-bound Bruton Tyrosine Kinase (BTK) inhibitor, TG-1701, is open for enrollment for patients with relapsed or refractory B-cell malignancies (Press release, TG Therapeutics, NOV 13, 2018, View Source [SID1234532246]). The first cohort evaluating TG-1701 at a dose of 100 mg once-daily has been fully enrolled, and the first patient enrolled, a patient with relapsed/refractory Mantle Cell Lymphoma (MCL), achieved a partial response (PR) at the first efficacy assessment. The remaining two patients are too early to evaluate.

This Phase I open label trial is designed to assess the safety, pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics and efficacy of TG-1701 in patients with non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma (NHL) and Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia (CLL). The trial is first evaluating TG-1701 as a single agent, with subsequent cohorts designed to evaluate the triple combination of TG-1701 with ublituximab, the Company’s novel glycoengineered anti-CD20 monoclonal antibody and umbralisib, the Company’s novel PI3K delta inhibitor, the combination referred to as "U2". The primary objective of the study is to determine the Maximum Tolerated Dose (MTD) of TG-1701, with secondary objectives including evaluation of efficacy. The study is being led by Constantine Tam, M.D., Director of Hematology, St. Vincent’s Hospital and Consultant Hematologist, Peter MacCallum Cancer Center, in Australia.

Michael S. Weiss, the Company’s Executive Chairman and Chief Executive Officer stated, "We are extremely pleased to announce the commencement of our first TG sponsored trial of TG-1701, our proprietary BTK inhibitor which was licensed from Jiangsu Hengrui earlier this year. The pre-clinical data presented at the European Hematology Association (EHA) (Free EHA Whitepaper) annual congress this past summer on TG-1701 showed a highly selective kinase profile giving us confidence in its clinical potential." Mr. Weiss continued, "We are excited to see the study is off to a strong start with the first cohort rapidly enrolled and the first patient achieving a PR at our lowest evaluated dose. Seeing early activity should accelerate our ability to identify a dose appropriate for use in combination with U2 and for expansion cohorts. We look forward to seeing more data from TG-1701 in 2019 and starting combination therapy with U2."

Helix BioPharma Corp. Provides Strategic Update on L-DOS47 Clinical Program

On November 13, 2018 Helix BioPharma Corp. (TSX, FSE: "HBP"), an immuno-oncology company developing drug candidates for the prevention and treatment of cancer, reported a strategic update of its LDOS47 clinical program (Press release, Helix BioPharma, NOV 13, 2018, View Source [SID1234531459]).

Helix’s L-DOS47 strategic development plan has two parts. The first part is to ensure L-DOS47 will be used in a well-established treatment setting, while being ready to be applied in novel therapies. For this reason, L-DOS47 clinical programs will focus primarily in a combination setting. In this plan L-DOS47 will be studied with well-established chemotherapeutics and in combination with novel immunotherapy. The Company is well advanced in carrying out the study of L-DOS47 with chemotherapy in lung cancer. The planning for combining with immunotherapies in this indication is also in progress.

In the second part of the strategic development plan, the Company will focus on expanding the utility of L-DOS47 to indications other than lung cancer. In choosing a new indication for L-DOS47, the company has considered available preclinical and clinical L-DOS47 data, consulted with key opinion leaders and considered the best strategic application of limited financial resources. To this end, the Company has recently announced the start of a new pancreatic cancer program.

As of today, the Company has completed a monotherapy study of L-DOS47 in lung cancer, with two combination studies in the same indication that are actively recruiting patients. The Company is also working diligently to prepare for regulatory filing of a new pancreatic cancer study with the United Sates Food and Drug Administration ("FDA").

The following is a status update of active studies currently taking place.

LDOS001

LDOS001 is a Phase I dose escalation study of L-DOS47 with pemetrexed and carboplatin for the first line treatment in recurrent or metastatic non-squamous non-small cell lung cancer. A total of seven (7) cohorts comprising of L-DOS47 doses at 0.59, 0.78, 1.5, 3.0, 6.0, 9.0 and 12.0 ug/kg were approved. To date, five (5) cohorts have been completed and a total of 12 patients were dosed. No dose limiting toxicity was observed. In cohort 1, one patient had a partial response (36% tumor regression). In cohort 2, three other patients had partial response (40%, 44% and 91% tumor regression) and one additional patient experienced stable disease for 13.3 months. In cohort 4, one patient had a partial response (69% tumor regression). The company expects to enroll six more patients to complete recruitment for study dosing cohorts if no dose limiting toxicity is observed.

LDOS003

LDOS003 is a phase II, open-Label, randomized study of immunoconjugate L-DOS47 in combination with vinorelbine and cisplatin versus vinorelbine and cisplatin alone in patients with lung adenocarcinoma. Regulatory and Ethics approvals to dose patients were first received from Ukraine in March and from Poland in April. While the company had planned to enroll patient shortly thereafter, the program was delayed due to financial constraints. The company has recently reprioritized its resources and expects to enroll patients in this study immediately.

LDOS006

The Company recently announced the launch of a U.S. Phase I/II study of L-DOS47 in combination with doxorubicin for the treatment of metastatic pancreatic cancer. The study will be led by Dr. Daniel Von Hoff and his team. The Company is currently completing the study protocol and related documents necessary for an investigational new drug ("IND") application to the FDA.

Mersana Therapeutics Announces Third Quarter 2018 Financial Results and Provides Business Updates

On November 13, 2018 Mersana Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ:MRSN), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on discovering and developing a pipeline of antibody drug conjugates (ADCs) based on its Dolaflexin and other proprietary platforms, reported financial results and a business update for the third quarter ended September 30, 2018 (Press release, Mersana Therapeutics, NOV 13, 2018, View Source [SID1234531431]).

"We continue to make significant strides towards building a leadership position in ADCs. In the third quarter, we progressed our Phase 1 dose escalation trial of XMT-1536 for solid tumors expressing NaPi2b and resumed enrollment on our new protocol for the Phase 1 dose escalation trial of XMT-1522 for HER2-expressing cancers," said Anna Protopapas, President and CEO of Mersana Therapeutics. "In addition to advancing our two clinical programs, we have developed innovative new platforms that are enabling us to greatly expand the reach of our therapeutics and the productivity of our discovery engine."

Recent Highlights and Updates

Clinical Programs

· Continued evaluation of once every four week schedule in the Phase 1 dose escalation study of XMT-1536 for the treatment of NaPi2b-expressing. XMT-1536 is a first-in-class Dolaflexin ADC targeting NaPi2b, which is broadly expressed in epithelial ovarian cancer and non-squamous non-small cell lung cancer. XMT-1536 has previously been studied on a once every three week schedule and this quarter we initiated evaluation of a once every four week dosing regimen. This dosing regimen has thus far been well tolerated and, based on the results of this cohort, the company has advanced the study to the next higher dosing level. A phase 2 recommended dose on XMT-1536 is expected in the first half of 2019. Additional data may be shared before selection of a phase 2 dose as it matures and informs our expansion and phase 2 plans.

· Resumed enrollment of Phase 1 dose escalation study of XMT-1522 for the treatment of HER2-expressing cancers. As reported on September 17, 2018, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) lifted the partial clinical hold on the Phase 1 study of XMT-1522 and the trial has resumed enrollment. The company expects to select a phase 2 dose in mid2019.

· Presented preclinical data on XMT-1536, a NaPi2b-targeting ADC, at the International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer 19th World Conference on Lung Cancer (IASLC WCLC 2018). In a poster titled "MERS67 is a Novel anti-NaPi2b Antibody and Demonstrates Differential Expression Patterns in Lung Cancer Histologic Subtypes," Mersana demonstrated that proprietary immunohistochemistry reagent MERS67 has the ability to quantify NaPi2b expression in lung adenocarcinoma (ACA). These

data indicate potential uses of MERS67 in characterizing and selecting patients for the XMT1536 clinical trial.

Discovery & Platform Progress

· Substantially advanced research on new ADC platforms. The Company intends to present data on two new platforms at the EORTC-NCI-AACR (Free EORTC-NCI-AACR Whitepaper) Molecular Targets and Cancer Therapeutics Symposium from November 13-16, 2018, in Dublin, Ireland.

· The first abstract, titled "Discovery of the novel, homogeneous payload platform Dolasynthen for Antibody-Drug Conjugates" characterizes Dolasynthen, a next-generation platform allowing for drug homogeneity and precise control of Drug-to- Antibody ratio.

· The second abstract, titled "Indole-Biaryl Pyrrolobenzodiazepines (I-BiPs): A potent and well-tolerated class of DNA mono-alkylating payload for antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs)" characterizes Alkymer, a DNA damaging platform demonstrating superiority in both efficacy and tolerability to existing DNA damaging platforms.

· Performed additional preclinical studies demonstrating the potential of XMT-1522 in NSCLC. The Company intends to present preclinical data on XMT-1522 at the EORTC-NCI-AACR (Free EORTC-NCI-AACR Whitepaper) Molecular Targets and Cancer Therapeutics Symposium. The abstract, titled "Target Expression/Efficacy Relationship of XMT-1522, a HER2-targeting Antibody Drug Conjugate (ADC), in an Unselected Series of Non-small Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC) Primary Human Carcinoma Xenografts" demonstrates deep and durable responses with XMT-1522 treatment across a broad range of patient derived NSCLC xenografts.

Upcoming Events

· The Company will give a corporate presentation at the Credit Suisse Healthcare Conference on November 14, 2018, in Scottsdale, AZ.

· The Company is participating in the 9th Annual World ADC meeting from November 12-15, 2018, in San Diego, CA. Tim Lowinger, the company’s Chief Scientific Officer, will be chairing the meeting.

· The Company will present three data abstracts at the EORTC-NCI-AACR (Free EORTC-NCI-AACR Whitepaper) Molecular Targets and Cancer Therapeutics Symposium from November 13-16, 2018, in Dublin, Ireland.

Financial Results

· Cash, cash equivalents and marketable securities as of September 30, 2018, were $86.1 million, compared to $125.2 million as of December 31, 2017. The company expects that its cash, cash equivalents and marketable securities will enable it to fund its operating plan into 2020.

· Collaboration revenue for the third quarter 2018 was approximately $2.2 million, compared to $6.3 million for the same period in 2017, driven primarily by a reduction of clinical costs in the quarter required to support Takeda collaboration activities and a change in timelines required to achieve a phase 2 dose.

·Research and development expenses for the third quarter 2018 were approximately $15.2 million, compared to $11.4 million for the same period in 2017, driven primarily by an increase in clinical and in regulatory expenses due to the progress of our lead programs and manufacturing costs to support future clinical development.

· General and administrative expenses for the third quarter 2018 were approximately $4.4 million, compared to $2.9 million for the same period in 2017, driven primarily by increased employee-related expenses due to increase in personnel costs and increased professional fees.

· Net loss for the third quarter 2018 was $17.1 million, or $0.75 per share, compared to a net loss of $7.7 million, or $0.35 per share, for the same period in 2017. Weighted average common shares outstanding for the quarter ended September 30, 2018 were 23,152,019 and 22,242,129 for the quarter ended September 30, 2017.

Conference Call

Mersana Therapeutics will host a conference call and webcast at 8:00 am ET on November 13 to report financial results for the third quarter 2018 and provide certain business updates. To access the call, please dial 877-303-9226 (domestic) or 409-981-0870 (international) and provide the Conference ID 8060459. A live webcast of the presentation will be available on the Investors & Media section of the Mersana website at www.mersana.com

About Dolaflexin

The Dolaflexin platform is designed to increase the efficacy, safety, and tolerability of ADCs by overcomin key limitations of existing technologies. Dolaflexin consists of Fleximer, a biodegradable, highly biocompatible, water soluble polymer, to which are attached multiple molecules of Mersana’s proprietary auristatin drug payload using a linker specifically optimized for use with Mersana’s polymer. The high water-solubility of the Fleximer polymer compensates for the low solubility of the payload, surrounding the payload and protecting it from aggregation and maintaining stability in circulation. Multiple molecules of this Dolaflexin polymer-drug conjugate can then be attached to an antibody of choice, which significantly increases the payload capacity of the resulting ADC. This approach differs from most other ADC technologies that conjugate the payload directly to the antibody. Using its Dolaflexin platform, Mersana has been able to generate ADCs with a very high Drug-to-Antibody Ratio (DAR), between 10 to 15, while maintaining desirable pharmacokinetics and drug-like properties. This represents a three to four-fold increase in DAR relative to traditional ADC approaches. The Dolaflexin platform also incorporates the DolaLock technology, an engineered controlled bystander effect. Auristatin F hydroxypropyl amide (AF-HPA), the initial auristatin drug release product, is freely cell permeable and has bystander-killing capabilities. Intra-tumor metabolism then facilitates the conversion of AF-HPA to auristatin F (AF), which is non-cell permeable, highly potent, and "locked" into the tumor. This enhancement improves both the efficacy and tolerability of Mersana’s ADC candidates.

About XMT-1522

XMT-1522 is a Dolaflexin ADC targeting HER2-expressing tumors. XMT-1522 contains a proprietary HER2 antibody which is conjugated with Mersana’s Dolaflexin platform — a Fleximer polymer linked with a proprietary auristatin payload. XMT-1522 provides a drug load of approximately 12 molecules per antibody, specifically designed to improve potency while simultaneously increasing tolerability. XMT-1522 has the potential to extend HER2-targeted therapy beyond the current "HER2-positive" populations into patients with lower levels of HER2 expression. XMT-1522 is in Phase 1 clinical trials in patients with advanced tumors expressing HER2, including breast cancer, non-small-cell-lung cancer (NSCLC) and gastric cancer patients. More information on the ongoing Phase 1 clinical trial can be found at clinicaltrials.gov.

About XMT-1536

XMT-1536 is a Dolaflexin ADC targeting the sodium-dependent phosphate transport protein (NaPi2b) and is comprised of an average of 10-15 DolaLock payload molecules conjugated to XMT-1535, a proprietary humanized anti-NaPi2b antibody. NaPi2b is an antigen highly expressed in the majority of non-squamous NSCLC and epithelial ovarian cancer. XMT-1536 is in Phase 1 clinical trials in patients with tumors expressing NaPi2b, including ovarian cancer, non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and other cancers. More information on the ongoing Phase 1 clinical trial can be found at clinicaltrials.gov.